The Presidency yesterday explained why the
Minister of Youth Development, Inuwa
Abdulkadir, was fired on Monday. It said that
the minister was relieved of his appointment
because President Goodluck Jonathan was
disappointed by his handling of the National
Youth Council of Nigeria, NYCN, elections in
Makurdi and Minna.
A statement by the Special Adviser to the
President on Media and Publicity, Dr. Reuben
Abati, said the involvement of the minister in the
election resulted in the unfortunate
fractionalisation of the council.
The statement said that President Jonathan had
no preferred candidate in the election, contrary
to speculations in the media.
It said that Jonathan regarded the Nigerian
youth as his wards and constituents, adding that
claims that he had a preferred candidate in the
NYCN elections were baseless.
The statement reads in part: “President
Jonathan remains sincerely and unwaveringly
committed to doing all within his powers to
promote the credibility and integrity of the
electoral process at all levels in the country.
“He firmly believes that a culture of free, fair
and credible election must be constantly
nurtured and encouraged amongst Nigerian
youth and all other sections of the country.
“In point of fact, it was Alhaji Abdulkadir’s
regrettable deviation from this presidential
commitment in the management of the NYCN
elections that led to the decision to relieve him
of his appointment as Minister of Youth
Development.
“President Jonathan was very displeased with
the mishandling of the NYCN elections in
Makurdi and Minna by the Ministry of Youth
Development which resulted in the unfortunate
fractionalisation of the youth council.
“The President found the ministry’s failure to
provide appropriate leadership towards open
and transparent youth council elections
unacceptable.
“President Jonathan is sincerely committed to
doing everything possible to ensure that the
Nigerian youth, on whom the country’s
aspirations for a bright and prosperous future
depend, are given the best possible upbringing
and orientation.
“The President, therefore, expects all officials of
his administration to exhibit greater rectitude
and sensitivity on issues related to youth
development, and comport themselves at all
times in a manner worthy of emulation by
Nigerian youth.”
Meanwhile, Niger State Governor Babangida
Aliyu yesterday expressed support for the
President’s decision to sack the minister and
suspend the Chairman of the National
Population Commission, NPC, Chief Festus
Odumegwu.
The governor stated this while receiving the
Executive Secretary, Nigeria Christian Pilgrims
Commission, NCPC, Mr. Kennedy Okpara, in
Minna.
He said: “The action of the President is what is
expected of a national leader that does not want
any of his officials to cause disharmony among
the people.
“And I am happy that the President queried and
suspended the National Chairman of the
National Population Commission; please thank
the President for me for what he did to the
Minister of Youth Development.”
He noted that the role the minister played in the
botched election showed that he lacked an
understanding of his job and failed to present
the actual facts of what transpired to President
Jonathan.
He said: “While the Nigerian Youth Council did
not hold election in the Makurdi gathering but
rather set up a transition committee, the
minister and his aides gave a forged list of new
executive members of the council to the
President.”
Aliyu said it was against this backdrop that the
Niger State government accepted to host the
election that returned Abdullahi Abdulmajeed
as National President, adding that the transition
committee solicited the support of the
government and got a peaceful place where the
election was conducted and supervised by some
officials of the ministry and the Presidency.
He added that Chief Festus Odumegwu, failed to
‘census’ his utterances, saying it was important
for people to watch their words so as not to
cause crisis in the polity.
In a related development, the NYCN President,
Mr. Yakubu Shendam, said the President had the
right to relieve any appointee of his job and
urged the public to stop making insinuations
regarding the development. He, however, said
the council was “still monitoring the situation of
the removal of the minister.”
This is even as he cautioned politicians against
“desperate” tendencies as the 2015 general
elections approach.
Shendam, however, noted that he was not part of
the Minna election.
He explained that he was in Abuja when the
election was holding in Minna, pleading with
political gladiators to halt perceived attempts at
“breaking the ranks of the Nigerian youth”,
which he said, constituted “80 per cent of the
nation’s population.”

Source - www.nationalmirroronline.net/new/why-i-sacked-youth-minister-jonathan/

Gej!!!watch your back,we citizen are no more blind!

Smh

Even if its true, people no longer belive in the government anymore

How can a leader be surprised when his followers follow in his footsteps?

Jonathan played politics in the NGF election, and caused chaos in the SE. He sounds like a hypocrite for firing the minister for doing the same thing.

What next? Firing judges for giving light sentences to corrupt politicians after he pardoned Alams!

Jonathan playing to the gallery. Who is he fooling?

My ooh my & that's Ebele down there engaged in some Mathematical calculations ahead of 2015 presidential Election. .

bobthebuilder99: How can a leader be surprised when his followers follow in his footsteps?

Jonathan played politics in the NGF election, and caused chaos in the SE. He sounds like a hypocrite for firing the minister for doing the same thing.

What next? Firing judges for giving light sentences to corrupt politicians after he pardoned Alams!

Jonathan did not conduct NGF election. He is not a governor either. Blame your fuckazz governors for the collapse of NGF. Most of them can't even conduct simple LGA elections in their states.

Everyday bad news....shame on dis country

Some forces are actually operating to scuttle any credible Census.

He said: “The action of the President is what is expected of a national leader that does not want any of his officials to cause disharmony among the people.

“And I am happy that the President queried and suspended the National Chairman of the National Population Commission; please thank the President for me for what he did to the Minister of Youth Development.”

I support d sack of dat ex-minister, i hardly hear anything from that ministry, if possible dy shd scrap d ministry

What's the essence of the youths minister if the youths are not in school mr. President should also be sacked

Stewpid man wetin concern my life...

gregg2:

Jonathan did not conduct NGF election. He is not a governor either. Blame your fuckazz governors for the collapse of NGF. Most of them can't even conduct simple LGA elections in their states.

are you a nigerian, everything that happened in NGF is as planned as Jonathan's family planned or y did he nt interfere til it got worst.

Pataki: Jonathan playing to the gallery. Who is he fooling?

Hian!! Na wa oh!! So performing his function as president is now playing to the gallery??
Did we elect him to just sit down doing nothing??